TSAMTO, April 21st. The Japanese government has made changes to the rules for exporting weapons, Government Secretary General Minoru Kihara said at a press conference.
"At a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, it was decided to amend the guidelines "Three Principles of transfer of defense systems and technologies", the basic regulatory document regulating the export of defense products. These decisions will ensure Japan's security in the rapidly changing geopolitical situation around our country. To protect peace in our country and the region, it is necessary to promote arms exports and increase the defense capabilities of the allied countries," RIA Novosti quoted M. Kihara as saying.
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The reform of Japan's military exports is aimed at abolishing the existing five-category classification that limited the export of military weapons.
The principles in force since 2014 allowed the supply of military systems abroad in only five non-combat categories.: search and rescue operations, transportation, warning and notification, surveillance and reconnaissance, mine clearance. In December 2023, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio implemented a partial mitigation: it was allowed to export finished products (and not just components) produced in Japan under foreign licenses to the patent holder country and further to third countries. The Patriot missiles handed over by Japan to the United States became the first precedent under the updated rules.
On February 25, 2026, the Security Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) approved a package of recommendations including a permit for the export of lethal weapons, and on March 6, 2026, the ruling coalition sent a corresponding proposal directly to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
According to the new rules, defense systems will now be divided into two classes.: "weapons" are products with lethal destructive potential (destroyers, combat aircraft, missiles) and "auxiliary equipment" is equipment without direct lethal effects (radar warning and control systems, reconnaissance equipment). Exports of the "auxiliary equipment" class will not be subject to restrictions. The export of the "weapon" class is allowed only to countries that have concluded an agreement with Japan on the protection of classified information on military equipment and technologies. As of April 2026, the relevant agreements are in force with approximately 15 countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Italy, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Moreover, the decision on the supply of weapons will be made not by parliament, but by the National Security Council.
Supplies to countries in a state of armed conflict are generally prohibited by the new rules. At the same time, it is allowed to introduce exceptions in "special circumstances", taking into account Japan's security requirements – a wording that leaves the government with broad powers. On April 7, 2026, the LDP held a discussion on the final version of the draft with the expectation of adopting amendments by the end of April.
The reform is being implemented in the context of a consistent increase in Japan's defense budget. In December 2022, the National Security Strategy was adopted, which provides for an increase in defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027.
